General Rules:

  • Exclamation points are most commonly used with emphatic expressions, but they are also sometimes part of a direct quotation.
  • Use exclamation points sparingly.
  • Never use a comma or period after an exclamation mark.


Emphatic Expressions


Rule: Use exclamation points to show very strong emotions, degrees of surprise or levels of incredulity.


Placement With Quotation Marks


Rule: Place the exclamation point inside the quotation mark if it’s part of a quotation and outside the quotation mark if it’s not part of a quotation.

  • Example: “Stop!” the police yelled at the fleeing suspect.
  • Example: I fell asleep reading Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick”!


Avoiding Overuse


Rule: Use a comma after mild interjections, and use periods after mildly exclamatory sentences.